Didion, Wolfe and Thompson

Didion's "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" was certainly an interesting read. Taken all the way from teenagers doing acid to encountering a five year old given LSD by her parents, Didion certainly caught my attention. However, while I was eager to read on and learn more about the way these people's lives are shaped, I had a hard time following Didion's writing. I felt like she jumped around a lot from thought to thought. I can't tell if she did this because she was trying to portray her own mental wanderings, as if to relate to her own journalism topic. Or maybe Didion's style is sporadic, and maybe a little random. Either way, I certainly had to move back and forth between pages to remind myself which person she was referring to, etc. I would imagine that gathering information on runaways and "hippies" would be challenging, as her piece showed. I feel that Didion had a difficult time reporting because she couldn't really get a firm grasp on anyone she was interviewing. While there were certainly a few people that she focused around, I feel as if the piece was little samples from each person. Although, I felt that she did a good job of keeping herself out of the piece. I find that it is hard to follow a story when an author's presence is very strong.

Wolfe's "New Journalism" was also quite interesting. I feel that this piece was meant to be more informative than anything else, yet it still maintains some comical air. Wolfe speaks of how The Novel is the "final triumph" in a journalists life: that the light at the end of the tunnel for a journalist is their first novel. He focuses a lot on the techniques of realism that were learned by journalists in the 1960's. Also, Wolfe notes the finer details of successful reporting. While this piece could have been simply and plainly factual, Wolfe speaks with an enthusiasm and energy that I wouldn't expect for such a topic. Although a little lengthy, it was an interesting read.

Thompson's "Kentucky Derby" piece was nothing short of true, honest reporting. This piece was by far my favorite. Maybe because Thompson makes the piece so much like a personal narrative, it is either something that you really enjoy or really dislike. I found myself considering the Kentucky Derby, and how I imagine it to be some upscale, nose-in-the-air kind of event. Reading Thompson's piece gave me the impression that these people gather together, get dressed up, spend some money and get drunk. Sounds more like a piece about the life of a college student rather than middle-aged adults.